The present invention relates to computer software, and more particularly to help systems for computer software.
Help navigation systems for software help files are well known in the art. Typically, each application has its own help file with its own help navigation system. To view a help file for a particular application, a user runs the application, and then accesses its help file. The help navigation system for the help file assists the user in finding and obtaining the desired information. However, if the user wishes to see the help information for another application, the user must run the other application, access its separate help file, and navigate using the other application""separate help navigation system. This may be cumbersome for the end user, particularly when the task for which the user is seeking information requires the use of more than one application. In this situation, the user must know ahead of time that these other applications exist and that they are involved in the performance of the task. Otherwise, the user will not be able to find all of the help information required to properly perform the task.
Even when a comprehensive help navigation system is provided for a plurality of software applications, the help navigation system is typically static. The help navigation system must know ahead of time what applications will be installed and available to the user. Even if applications are subsequently installed or removed, the help navigation system remains unchanged. The user thus may be navigated to help information for applications which are no longer there or navigated to help information for applications subsequently installed. To obtain the correct information, the user again must know ahead of time what applications exist and whether or not they relate to the task.
Accordingly, there exist a need for a method and system for providing dynamic and task-oriented homogeneous help navigation information for multiple applications. The method and system should increase the ease in which the user may obtain help information to perform a particular task. The present invention addresses such a need.
The present invention provides a method and system for providing help navigation information for a computer network. The method includes identifying a plurality of registered applications; collecting a plurality of tags from the plurality of registered applications; and organizing the collected plurality of tags to provide a homogeneous, task-oriented help navigation system for the plurality of registered applications. The method provides homogeneous, dynamic help information which reflects the applications installed on a computer system. As applications are installed or removed based on customer needs and licensing changes, the content of the help system changes accordingly. This change occurs transparently to a user. The help information in the help system is organized in a task-oriented manner and displayed in a homogeneous view. Thus, a user is given help information concerning all installed applications involved in the performance of a task without the user needing to know ahead of time what applications have been installed or removed and how these applications relate to the task. This allows the user to obtain the desired help information for a task in an efficient manner.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of a computer network in which a help navigation system is provided in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a preferred embodiment of a method for providing dynamic and task-oriented integrated help navigation information for multiple applications in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example graphical user interface for displaying help navigation information in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of an implementation of the help navigation system in accordance with the present invention.